Apparatus for offset photogravure printing



Oct. 19, 1926. 1,604,082

R. J. SMOTHERS APPARATUS FOR OFFSET PHOTOGRAVURE PRINT ING Filed Nov. 10 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

I N V EN TOR. liobert J Smoflzers;

) ATTORNEY.

Oct. 19 1926. 1,604,082

- R. J. SMOTHERS APPARATUS FOR OFFSET PHOTOGRAVURE PRINTING Filed Nov. 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

RobertJSmolheng ATTORNEY.

ROBERT JARVIS SMOTHIJRS," OF

HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS,

1,604,082 PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR TO JAMES T.

ROBINSON, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR OFFSET PHOTOGRAVURE PRINTING.

hpplieation filed November 10, 1924. Serial No. 748,971.

This invention relates to anapparatus for offset photogravure printing, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a new and novel means for printing photogravure by offset, in lieu of direct, thereby materially decreasing the cost of operation with respect to the direct method now used, and further for materially increasing the output for a given time without increasin the cost of operation, over that obtained by the present method of direct photogravure printing.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a new and novel means for oifset photogravure printing, whereby the employment of a solid plate roll or cylinderfor direct printing is dispensed with, thus reducing the cost of operation.

.A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a new and novel means for ofl'set photogravure printing whereby the drying step, after the work leaves the press, now employed in the present method of direct photogravure printing is dispensed with as the work dries as it leaves the impression cylinder, owing to the offset method of printing.

A further object of the'invent-ion is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a new and novel means for offset photogravure printing, whereby a removable bendable plate having the design thereon provided with pits or wells, such plate termed an inta'glio plate, is detachably secured to a plate roll and acts in conjunction with a transfer roll arranged thereover for printing, by oifset, photogravure upon a web travelling against an impression cylinder or roll superposed with respect to the transfer roll or cylinder, thereby overcoming direct printing from a solid roll and expediting the work, as well as reducing operating costs, more particularly with respect to the great reduction in cost of the plate carrying the design, which is ultimately printed upon the we With the foregoing and other objects in .view, the invention consists of the new and novel means for offset photogravure printing-as hereinafter more specifically described and -illustrated in the accompan ing drawings, wherein is shown a form of apparatus capable of carrying the method into effect,

but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be had which will fall within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for offset photogravure printing, in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical- View of an apparatus for offset photogravure continuous color printing in accordance with this invention.

Figure 3 is an edge View, broken away, of the intaglio plate employed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, in section, of the plate, illustrating the pits or Wells.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, in section, of a plate or transfer cylinderin open position.

Figure 6 is a like view of the transfer or plate cylinder in closed position.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, 1 denotes a plate cylinder or roll provided with a substantially seamless, removable plate 2, having the design thereon provided throughout with pits or wells and said plate is termed an intaglio plate. Arranged below the cylinder or roll 2 is an ink supply element 3 having operating therein an inking roll 4, which is employed for supplying the ink to the plate 2, so that the pits or wells will take up or be filled with the ink. Arranged in cooperative relation with re,- spect to the plate 2 is an ink scraper element 5, against which the plate 2 rides. The function of the element 5 is to remove the surplus ink from the plate 2 and which'will be discharged into the ink supply element 3. Arranged in superposed relation with respect to and of the same diameter as the diameter of the cylinder or roll 1, is, a transfer or blanket cylinder or roll 6,'pr0- vided with a substantially seamless blanket 7 employed for transferring the design, in ink, to the web 8, which travels between the top of the cylinder or roll 6 and the bottom of an impression cylinder or roll 9.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a means for offset photoravure continuous three color printing, alt on h it is to be understood that the means can o arranged to apply a greater or less number of colors, as the illustration of three colors is by way of example. By reference to Figure 2, 10, 11 and 12 indicate plate cylbetween which and the blanket rolls 16,

17 and 18 the web or sheet 23 travels. The plate'13 has a portion of the design for one color, plate 14 another portion of the design for a different color, and the plate 15 t e remaining portion of the design for another color, that is to say the portion of the design on the plate 13 will be rinted by the ofiset methodin one color on t e web 23, andwhen the web reaches the blanket 20 another ortion of the design will be printed, by 0 set, in a different color on the web 23, and when the latter reaches the blanket 21 the design will be completed by offset printing but the completed portion of the desi n will be of a different color and by the oregoing arrangement: offset photogravure color printing from a continuous standpoint is had.

Associated with each of the rolls 10,11 and 12 is an ink supply element 3 and an inking roll 4.

The plate, which is removably secured to the plate cylinder or roll is formed from a thin metallic sheet 24, capable of being bent to surround the plate cylinder or roll. Opposed edges of the sheet 24 are bevelled in parallel planes, as at 25, 26, so that the plate when detachably secured to its cylinder of roll will have the bevelled edges thereof overlapped, under such conditions forming a substantially seamless cylindrical plate.

The design on the plate is provided throughout with pits or wells 27, see Figure 4, and the plate after com letion is what may be termed an intaglio p ate.

The blanket which is removably secured to the transfer cylinder or roll also has a pair of opposed edges bevelled in the same manne as sheet 24, so that when the blanket is mounted in position the bevelled edges will overla as indicated at 28 in Figures 1 and 2, t ereby providing what may be termed a substantiall seamless c lindrical blanket when the latter is mounts in posi-.

tion on thii transfer cylinder or roll. The .plate cylinder or roll, or the transfer cylinder or roll is constructed in the manner as disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawin s, and by reference thereto 29 indicates t e intaglio plate or the transfer blanket. The construction of cylinder or roll as illustrated in F" 5 and 6, is similar to that set torth 111 my applicationfiled Apr l 2, 1924,

Serial Number 703,775. By reference to Figures 5 and 6, the body ortion of the cylinder or roll comprises a xed section 30 formed with an enlarged opening 31, having one side edge squared, as at 32, and its other side edge inwardly bevelled, as at 33. Thebody portion of the roll further includes a segment-shaped section 34 having one side terminal bevelled, as at 35, which abuts against the bevelled edge 33. The section 34 is pivoted and has connected therewith one of the removable sections 36. of the body portion. The section 30 has connected therewith the other removable section 37 of the body portion. The sections 36 and 37 are bevelled and the bevels of said sections form continuations of the bevelled edges of the plate or blanket 29. The sections 36 and 37 are secured against the inner face of the plate or blankets 29. The section 34 is adapted to be clamped in position by the element 38 and when clamped the sections 36 and 37 will assume the position shown in Figure 6, whereby the bevelled edges of the plate or blanket 29 will overlap and when said plate or blanket 29 is secured in the positionshown in Figure 6, it then will be in cylindrical form and substantially seamess.

As is well-known in photogravure printing, a solid (plate roll is employed for direct printing an which is unusually expensive to produce, that is to say when the design is formed on a cylinder or roll. These solid rolls are bodily removed from the press as well as positioned bodily with respect to the impresslon roll. Sometimes it is necessary to dismantle certain portions of the press. I

It is also inconvenient to remove and replace the plate roll when occasion re uires. The employment of the intaglio p ate, in accordance with this invention does not re uire the plate cylinder or rollto be removed rom the press, as the plate or the blanket can be conveniently removed and replaced when occasion requires without dismantling the press in any manner or removing the plate cylllinder or roll or the blanket cylinder or ro The apparatus for ofiset photogravure printing, in accordance with this invention, overcomes the necessity of drying the work after rinting. Then furthermore by printing p otogravure by offset, the output is materially greater, in a given time, than by the direct method, and it is thought that the many advantages of an apparatus for offset printing photogra'vure, in accordance with this invention can be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as described, yet it. is to be understood that changes therein can be had What I claim il:---

' face having a An apparatus for ofi'set printing com rising a 'revo-luble plate carrying cylin er. a split cylindrical printing plate formed with an impression surpitted or welled design, said plate detachably secured to and completely enveloping said cylinder and having its opphotogravure posed'edges beveled, overlapping and abutting throughout to form a substantially seamless impression surface. a revoluble blanket carrying roll arranged over said im pression surface, a split cylindrical blanket detachably secured to and completely enveloping said roll, said blanket having its opposed edges beveled, abutting throughout and overlapping to provide a substantially seamless transfer surface for transferring from said impression surface the design from 'the latter the lower face of a Web or sheet traveling over said blanket, an impression cylinder arranged over said transfer surface and coacting With-said blanket roll to impress the transferred design on said Web or sheet, means positioned in cooperative relation with respect to the plate carrying cylinder for applying ink to the design on said impression surface, and means acting to remove surplus ink from said pitted or Welled design prior to the taking up of the design in ink by said transfer surface.

in ink for application to In testimony whereof, I affix my signature 7 hereto. I

ROBERT JARVIS SMOTHERS. 

